Habitats

The Reserve offers a variety of habitats in an effort to attract the widest range of flora and fauna possible. The main areas are:

Woodland

Within the woodland area which bordered the mine to the railway, there are ancient Sycamores up to approximately 150 years old, plus more recent plantings of yew, ash, and oak. There are a number of provisions made here for wildlife, including birdboxes and fence openings. Deer can often be seen within the woodland or just outside in the grassy scrub nearby.

Scrub

The scrub areas consisting of bramble, gorse and tall grasses are deliberately left unmanaged to offer shelter for small animals and birds.

Ponds and stream

The pond, roughly in the centre of the Reserve, with a footbridge at one end, was created by the CVCG by partially damming the water flow from the nearby spring as it heads towards the river Tyne. Now well established, the pond attracts amphibians, birds and water-loving insects. There are two further (man made) ponds in the bird sancturary.

Grassland and Paddock

Entering the Reserve from the Eastern (Village) side, you will find low grassland, kept under control by selective strimming in the summer and grazing animals in the winter. This low grassland attracts ground nesting birds, whilst bees and butterflies feast on the wild meadow flowers in spring and summer.

The paddock area is intended for use in the winter when we have grazing animals on site. Bordered by hedging and fencing, it also has patches of light coppice and scrub, which are kept under control by CVCG volunteers on task days.